Nottinghamshire firefighters provide aid to support Ukraine rescue teams

Equipment such as old firefighting kit, burns dressings and casualty handling equipment was delivered to volunteer fire and urban search and rescue teams in Zaporizhia, the regional capital in southeast Ukraine, a year on from when the Russian invasion began.

Retired Nottinghamshire firefighter Grant Smith travelled to Krakow, Poland, to deliver the equipment over the border.

He previously worked at Nottinghamshire’s training school and served as a firefighter at Stockhill Fire Station.

Grant has been heavily involved with charity and projects to help other fire and rescue services in eastern Europe for eight years, mostly in Croatia.

He said: “The people in Ukraine are in a desperate situation and we hope to help them with donations of kit that they need.

“There is a clear benefit to the donations as the aid is unfortunately not always getting where it’s needed.

“If this aid can go some way to make a better response for those who need it then it has been worth it.

“There are lots of people in the Service I could not do this without. Everyone has a positive can-do attitude to want to help.”

Russian Armed Forces have subjected the city and surrounding region to sustained shelling and bombing, with a strike on residential buildings on October 9, 2022 killing at least 17 people.

The kit was able to be donated as some of it has been replaced due to reaching the end of manufacturers recommended shelf-life.

Some of the equipment has become redundant due to the recent change in how the service deals with burn injuries.

However, the service feels that the equipment will be put to good use in life-saving rescue efforts.

Filippo Migliorino, NFRS engineering manager, said: “We are very pleased to give our old equipment a new home in Ukraine.

“Where it will be used to save lives and help injured Ukrainians.

“Ukrainian fire services and rescue teams are doing amazing work in extremely challenging circumstances, and we wish them all the best.”

Ukrainian rescue teams were very grateful for the donations, which will help them to rescue and treat injured people as the war continues.